Cannabinoids and the Modulation of Striatal Plasticity

Striatal plasticity can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these factors include head trauma for a brain injury, an infection or a contracted pain. Cannabinoids have been said to have the ability to treat chronic pain through their neuroprotective and anti inflammatory abilities. Cannabinoids are naturally discovered in the marijuana plant (cannabis sativa). Cannabinoids include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinol (CBD).

THC is the psychoactive constituent of marijuana and gives you the high sensation when ingested. CBD is the medicinal ingredient of marijuana and this gives you the feeling of being comfortable. The endogenous cannabinoid network has two cannabinoid receptors, 1 and 2, that allow cannabinoids to bind and thrive throughout the body.

This paper will look at the effectiveness of cannabinoids in the mediation of chronic nonmalignant neuropathic pain.

Main Points:

Endocannabinoids Regulate Neuronal Activity

Cannabinoid Tolerance Impairs Synaptic Plasticity

Endocannabinoids Regulate Neuronal Activity

Endocannabinoids moderate our brains neurophysiology within a part of the brain called dorso-lateral striatum (DLS). This are of the brain has a part to play in habitual actions aka our good and bad habits. How synaptic endocannabinoid transmissioning lends a hand to habitual actions are still not clear from pathological and physiological situations. Experiments on mice have been carried out in relation to their tolerance of cannabinoids. Researchers have discovered that continued triggering of the endocannabinoid route impaired endocannabinoid controlled long-term sadness and synaptic return signals in the dorso-lateral striatum (DLS).

This impairment of long-term controlled sadness within the brain was due to

The loss of eCB LTD, occurring preferentially at cortical connections to striatopallidal neurons, was associated with a shift in behavioral control from goal-directed action to habitual responding.

These conclusions show a massive interaction ((((((((((((between drug tolerance and))))))))))) modulations in the mediation of tool performance by endowing a main position for endocannabinoid system long term depression in habit communication.

Cannabinoid Tolerance Impairs Synaptic Plasticity

Researchers here discovered that cannabinoid tolerance prevents normal functioning of bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the DLS and that this is related to the alteration from objective-directed to habitual achievement. Researchers discovered that the changing of the DLS mediates endocannabinoid controlled transmissioning and plasticity and the contingent balance between objective-focused and habitual actions.

As researchers looked for the DLS, desensitization and downregulation of cannabinoid 1 receptor may explain for these neurophysiological modulations. Researchers here saw that numerous THC injections, but not a single administration, prevented endocannabinoid long term sadness in the DLS, inhibited behavioral tolerance and promoted habit communication.

Registered with the British Psychological Society, breaking the taboo on mental health issues is one of the driving forces in Jonathan's life. His background in biomedicine gives him additional understanding of the factors that work together to influence the human condition.